Scouting Report: Dionte Sykes
I wrote up a scouting report on Arizona wide receiver Dionte Sykes, one of nine 2014 receivers to hold an offer at this point.
http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2012/12/scouting-report-dionte-sykes…
He looks like another possession type of receiver, the kind that Brady Hoke and Al Borges seem wont to recruit. They have gone after a few deep threat guys (James Quick, LaQuon Treadwell), but most of their offerees at the position seem to fit the mold of 6'3"/6'4" guys with big frames and not a great deal of speed.
I've always thought that it's important to have a variety of types of players at the wide receiver position to add other dimensions to your offense. Jeremy Gallon offers things that Jeremy Jackson doesn't, for example. I have heard that Sykes is likely to end up out west, but I have also heard that his dad really likes Michigan. Regardless, when it comes to receiver recruiting, I think it would be very beneficial for Hoke to nab a Steve Breaston or Jeremy Gallon type of player in the 2014 class, someone who could help on special teams, run reverses, and catch wide receiver screens.
December 20th, 2012 at 8:43 AM ^
INFINITE FAITH IN HOKE AND BORGES
December 20th, 2012 at 8:49 AM ^
December 20th, 2012 at 9:16 AM ^
December 20th, 2012 at 9:25 AM ^
December 20th, 2012 at 10:22 AM ^
Yeah, he was state hurdler champion, and 100m dash champion his senior year. Not quite Sammy Watkins fast (Watkins ran a 10.57 in HS), but still pretty fast, 10.7, in the 100. And he did this all at at legit 6'3". Now track speed doesn't always translate to football speed, but Chesson's height combined with his speed will be a formidable threat provided he can actually grasp the passing offense and has good hands. Also, I believe Sam Webb reported that Chesson ran a 4.44 40 yard dash in the team's off season workouts and Darboh ran a 4.5.
December 20th, 2012 at 8:54 AM ^
I agree with magnus for once
December 20th, 2012 at 8:52 AM ^
Big fan of your blog Magnus, but I have one question, What exactly does Jeremy Jackson offer?
December 20th, 2012 at 9:11 AM ^
An alliterative name.
December 20th, 2012 at 9:24 AM ^
Mario Manningham.
Alliteration seems like a good thing, no?
December 20th, 2012 at 9:27 AM ^
Roy Roundtree
December 20th, 2012 at 9:36 AM ^
That initial D in dHoward is usually not pronounced.
December 20th, 2012 at 11:42 AM ^
the D is silent.
December 20th, 2012 at 9:03 AM ^
If Lewis or Stribling switch to receiver would they have the potential to be a deep threat?
December 20th, 2012 at 9:12 AM ^
Lewis, possibly, though I think he's more of a run-after-catch guy. Stribling not so much; he'd be more of a possession guy, too. His mediocre speed is perhaps his biggest knock.
December 20th, 2012 at 9:16 AM ^
I have a feeling Stribling is going to switch positions, but I think it will be to safety.
December 20th, 2012 at 9:29 AM ^
This just in... Dennis Norfleet will be playing WR next season.
December 20th, 2012 at 9:30 AM ^
link? Because I have it on good authority he's playing 3 tech.
December 20th, 2012 at 9:38 AM ^
word has it that borges also has him as third string QB... behind devon gardner and devon smith
December 20th, 2012 at 9:45 AM ^
"Where's denard?"
"On the sideline!"
"Why?!?"
"Because that is just what they are expecting. It's brilliant!"
December 20th, 2012 at 9:46 AM ^
December 20th, 2012 at 9:48 AM ^
/s
December 20th, 2012 at 10:05 AM ^
It's hard to think of Michigan as needing an explosive WR, but here we are. Growing up, I assumed that Michigan just had a tree somewhere that grew great wideouts. What happened to the tree?!
December 20th, 2012 at 10:08 AM ^
They built a bar next to the tree.
And Darryl Stonum wandered inside.
December 20th, 2012 at 10:10 AM ^
It was probably that guy from Alabama.
December 20th, 2012 at 11:02 AM ^
both potentially deep threats? It looks to me like we're still recruiting speed, but not shiftiness at WR. Maybe that will change as the profile of WRs on our roster changes, or maybe it will be addressed by position changes. Either way, I agree we could use players similar to Gallon and Breaston.
December 20th, 2012 at 11:16 AM ^
I think Jones has better speed than the other WR recruits for 2013, but both of those guys are considered projects. Speedy, but project-y.
December 20th, 2012 at 2:23 PM ^
Going after top talents like Treadwell doesn't tell that much about what kind of receivers the coaches want. The commitments they get from less heralded recruits do, especially when they aren't late additions.
December 20th, 2012 at 11:12 AM ^
December 20th, 2012 at 11:56 AM ^
December 20th, 2012 at 12:24 PM ^
December 20th, 2012 at 12:43 PM ^
...and Aaron Burbridge.
December 20th, 2012 at 12:51 PM ^
Magnus, or anyone else for that matter, saying "we don't have", a Keyshawn Martin type is speaking from a highly suspect perspective. Not saying they are wrong; just saying they have no way of knowing at this time.
The great and elusive Keshawn Martin was a 3* recruit out of Westland John Glenn, whose only other offer was Illinois.
Michigan recently got the verbal of a lightly regarded 3* recruit out of Westland John Glenn by the name of DeMario Jones.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/michiganstate/football/recruiting/player-Keshawn-Martin-74520
http://rivals.yahoo.com/michigan/football/recruiting/player-Da%27Mario-Jones-142195
December 20th, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^
That's interesting. Good post.
They have the same 40 time listed, but Jones is two inches taller and 5 pounds heavier...we win!
December 20th, 2012 at 1:23 PM ^
Keshawn Martin was a pretty dynamic player in high school. He made other teams look ridiculous even back then.
You're right that we don't know at this time, just like no one can predict the future. But we can be fairly sure that Jeremy Jackson isn't going to turn 7-yard hitches into 80-yard touchdowns, and it doesn't look like some of these other guys will do it, either. There are a couple guys with potential (Jones, Chesson), but it's still a huge question mark. And the fact that Martin and Jones went to the same high school is - as I'm sure you know - more of a coincidence than an indication that Jones will turn out like Martin.
December 20th, 2012 at 1:41 PM ^
Why all the hating on Jeremy Jackson today?
December 20th, 2012 at 1:43 PM ^
Nobody's hating on anyone. He's just not fast.
December 20th, 2012 at 1:33 PM ^
In the 2014 class who would you consider to be the Gallon/Breston type?
Marshon Lattimore? Darien Watkins?
December 20th, 2012 at 1:42 PM ^
Of the guys we've offered, I'd probably say Artavis Scott and Marshon Lattimore. Dareian Watkins is a notch below them, in my opinion.